On 18 December 2012, and pursuant to my proposal, the Government designated the North Lotts and Grand Canal Dock areas of the Dublin Docklands as a Strategic Development Zone (SDZ). This will provide for continued fast-track planning in the designated areas on the wind up of the Dublin Docklands Development Authority (DDDA) by the end of this year, as approved by the Government in May 2012.
Since the designation, Dublin City Council, the development agency in this case, has published its SDZ Draft Planning Scheme, the preparation of which involved wide-ranging consultations, including input from the DDDA Executive Board, DDDA Council (comprising local stakeholders, including local community representatives) and DDDA Community Liaison Committee. The SDZ Draft Planning Scheme will remain on public display until 10 May 2013, until which time interested parties, including the Docklands communities, may make written submissions or observations. Approval of the Scheme will ultimately be a matter for the elected members of Dublin City Council, or an Bord Pleanála on appeal.
In addition to the extensive public consultation exercises which form part of the SDZ process, I acknowledge the further need to foster community interaction and local initiatives to ensure that the Dublin Docklands area continues to grow in a sustainable and inclusive manner. The precise modalities to ensure such community participation into the future will be addressed as part of the necessary preparations for the migration to new dockland development arrangements to be decided by Government.
